Doom: The Dark Ages Review – Embracing the Shield, Mastering the Mayhem
Prepare yourselves, demon slayers, for a new era of visceral, unadulterated carnage has dawned. id Software, the very architects of the first-person shooter genre, have once again redefined the boundaries of their own legacy with Doom: The Dark Ages. This latest iteration doesn’t just tread familiar, blood-soaked ground; it carves a new path through the infernal legions with a bold, transformative approach that injects a fresh, exhilarating layer of strategic depth into the franchise’s signature hyper-violent ballet. As we ventured into the techno-medieval landscapes of this gripping prequel, set between the events of the 2016 reboot and the infernal chaos of Doom Eternal, we discovered a title that not only respects its roots but fearlessly innovates, delivering an experience so compelling, so satisfying, that it has become difficult to imagine a Doom game without its most groundbreaking addition: the Shield Saw.
A Kingdom of Carnage: The Techno-Medieval Setting and its Glorious Impact
The world of Doom: The Dark Ages presents a striking departure, a fusion of ancient might and unholy technology. Imagine a realm where King Arthur might have wielded not just Excalibur, but a mechanized, demon-slaying Gauntlet. This unique aesthetic, a potent blend of medieval architecture and infernal cybernetics, is more than just a visual flourish; it’s a meticulously crafted backdrop that perfectly complements the franchise’s enduring heavy metal heart. The visual design is nothing short of breathtaking, conjuring images of knights clad in demonic armor and fortresses powered by unholy energies. This creative vision allows id Software to re-contextualize the Doom Slayer’s iconic arsenal and combat style within a fresh, yet thematically resonant, setting. The narrative, while not the primary draw for many Doom aficionados, centers on the Slayer’s brutal campaign against a demonic prince seeking to seize a powerful artifact from a besieged princess. It’s a straightforward, no-nonsense plot that serves its purpose: to thrust the player into the fray and provide ample motivation for ripping and tearing through the forces of Hell. However, it’s the gameplay mechanics, particularly the integration of melee combat, that truly elevate Doom: The Dark Ages to new heights.
The Shield Saw: A Game-Changing Addition to the Slayer’s Arsenal
The undeniable star of Doom: The Dark Ages is the revolutionary Shield Saw. This formidable piece of equipment, a mechanized, serrated shield, fundamentally alters the rhythm and strategic considerations of combat. Initially, the concept of a shield in a Doom game might seem counterintuitive to the series’ philosophy of relentless aggression. However, its implementation is so seamless and so brilliantly conceived that it quickly becomes an indispensable tool, a natural extension of the Slayer’s formidable capabilities. The Shield Saw isn’t merely a defensive crutch; it’s an offensive powerhouse.
Parrying with Precision and Panache
The act of parrying incoming attacks, particularly the glowing green projectiles telegraphed by more dangerous foes, is a deeply rewarding experience. The parry window on standard difficulty is notably generous, allowing players to master this new defensive maneuver with relative ease. A successful parry not only negates incoming damage but also creates an opening for a devastating counter-attack, often sending projectiles hurtling back at their senders with amplified force. The auditory feedback accompanying a successful parry is exceptionally satisfying, a resonant “thwack” that rivals the most impactful hits in other action titles. This tactile and auditory feedback loop is crucial in making the parry system feel impactful and integral to the combat.
The Shield Saw as a Discus of Destruction
Beyond its defensive utility, the Shield Saw possesses a secondary offensive capability that is nothing short of spectacular: it can be hurled like a discus. This allows for a dynamic shift in engagement range, enabling players to chip away at distant enemies, conserve precious ammunition by cleaving through smaller demons, or even stun larger, more imposing threats by embedding the spinning saw blade into their flesh. The ability to lodge the Shield Saw into larger enemies and then riddle them with bullets transforms these hulking brutes from insurmountable obstacles into vulnerable targets, showcasing a brilliant synergy between the new melee mechanic and the classic gunplay.
Aggressive Defense: Closing the Gap and Maintaining Momentum
The Shield Saw also facilitates aggressive movement. A charging shield bash allows the Slayer to rapidly close distances, making it an ideal tool for engaging enemies from afar or repositioning oneself within the chaotic arenas. This added mobility ensures that the frantic pace of Doom remains intact, as players are encouraged to constantly move and adapt. However, the shield’s capacity is not infinite; it can absorb only a certain amount of damage before entering a temporary cooldown period. This limitation prevents the Shield Saw from trivializing encounters, instead forcing players to manage its use effectively. It becomes a thrilling new layer of strategic juggling: block or parry what you can, dodge what you cannot, and never, ever stop moving. The Shield Saw doesn’t merely add a shield; it refines the core Doom loop of aggressive evasion and calculated offense.
Revitalized Melee: More Than Just Glory Kills
Doom: The Dark Ages doesn’t stop at the Shield Saw when it comes to enhancing melee combat. The Slayer’s close-quarters capabilities have been significantly expanded, offering a more diverse and brutal array of options for dispatching demons up close and personal. Players now have access to a trio of distinct melee attacks: a rapid punch combo, a slower but immensely powerful hammer strike, and a personally favored, armor-shattering flail. These new additions provide players with the ability to pummel enemies into submission, rewarding proximity with crucial ammunition drops.
The Interplay of Close and Ranged Offense
Like the firearms, these melee options have a limited resource pool and require replenishment through pickups or continued aggressive play with guns. This creates a compelling feedback loop where close-range brutality directly fuels ranged effectiveness and vice versa. Engaging with melee-focused adversaries transforms into rhythmic, yet brutal, slugfests. The player is tasked with deflecting incoming blows during brief windows of opportunity, retaliating with devastating force, and ultimately, executing the series’ signature, gloriously gory Glory Kill finishing moves. While Doom has always been synonymous with its firearms, the close-quarters combat in The Dark Ages is arguably the most satisfying and engaging the series has ever offered.
Inventive Arsenal: New Tools for Demonic Demolition
The already stellar gunplay of the Doom franchise is further enriched by a host of inventive new weaponry. Each new addition feels not only powerful but also uniquely suited to different combat scenarios, encouraging players to experiment and discover their preferred loadouts for any given situation.
The Pulverizer: A Skull-Crushing Symphony
One standout addition is the Pulverizer. This monstrous weapon functions by grinding collected demon skulls into a volatile substance, which can then be unleashed as a wide, devastating spread of high-speed bone fragments. Its primary function is to obliterate large groups of enemies simultaneously, turning teeming hordes into piles of gore with remarkable efficiency. The sheer destructive power of the Pulverizer makes it a joy to use, particularly when facing overwhelming odds.
The Chainshot: Piercing Shields and Armor
Another exceptionally useful weapon is the Chainshot. This projectile fires a retractable ball and chain, perfect for punching through the formidable shields and armor of elite demonic units. Its ability to bypass defenses and deliver significant impact damage makes it invaluable for targeting specific threats and disrupting enemy formations.
Weapon Modularity and Strategic Depth
Echoing the successful formula of previous entries, many of the six primary firearms boast alternate firing modes that can be swapped between instantaneously. This allows for seamless transitions, such as shifting from the rapid-fire Shotgun to the slower but more potent Super Shotgun. Furthermore, each weapon configuration features unlockable upgrades, adding layers of customization and rewarding players for mastering their preferred tools of destruction. These enhancements can range from perks that unleash a devastating lightning strike upon a successful parry to abilities that cause ricocheting bullets to pierce enemies while the Shield Saw is embedded. These additions inject significant depth and replayability, allowing players to tailor their combat experience to their individual playstyle. Crucially, Doom: The Dark Ages liberates players from the more restrictive weapon gating seen in Doom Eternal, allowing any weapon to be used for any kill, fostering an unparalleled sense of freedom in combat strategy.
Devising Devastating Strategies: The Slayer’s Evolving Playbook
The new suite of abilities afforded to the Doom Slayer in The Dark Ages empowers players to devise incredibly creative and effective strategies for survival. The sheer density of enemies on screen, often numbering in the dozens, demands constant adaptation and a proactive approach to combat. The seamless transition between actions – tossing the Shield Saw at a distant threat, instantly recalling it to parry an incoming projectile, and then obliterating the attacker with a shotgun blast, all while weaving through a barrage of demonic fire – creates moments of pure, unadulterated player agency and exhilaration. These are the fist-pumping, adrenaline-fueled sequences that define the Doom experience, and The Dark Ages delivers them in spades. The inclusion of both offensive and defensive mechanics in such a tightly integrated manner makes the action feel more strategically dense than ever before. Coupled with a well-designed control scheme that becomes second nature once acclimated, pulling off these complex maneuvers feels fluid and intuitive.
Accessibility for All Slayers
Recognizing the diverse needs of its player base, id Software has implemented an impressive array of accessibility options. Players can meticulously customize their experience by adjusting game speed, parry timing windows, and even the color palettes of in-game elements. This ensures that Doom: The Dark Ages can be as challenging and demanding or as approachable and inviting as each individual player desires, a testament to the developer’s commitment to inclusivity.
Diversions and Discoveries: Mechs, Dragons, and Hidden Secrets
Beyond the core ground-based combat, Doom: The Dark Ages offers several engaging diversions that break up the intensity of the standard firefights. Players can commandeer a colossal mech suit to engage in titanic battles against gargantuan demons, their every blow carrying immense weight and impact. Alternatively, the Slayer can take to the skies atop a dragon-like beast for exhilarating aerial dogfights.
Moments of Flight and Fury
While these segments are undeniably fun and add variety to the overall experience, they are best described as “broadly fine.” The mech combat, while impactful, leans towards slower, more deliberate engagements, whereas the aerial sequences involve a somewhat ill-fitting exercise in dodging enemy fire to charge a powerful beam weapon capable of taking down shielded targets. These diversions are relatively brief and never overstay their welcome, but our overwhelming desire was always to return to the boots-on-the-ground mayhem that defines Doom.
The Lure of Exploration and Collectibles
As is tradition within the series, Doom: The Dark Ages features intricately designed levels brimming with secrets to uncover. Players are rewarded for thorough exploration with collectible figurines, lore entries that flesh out the game’s universe, upgrade points for enhancing the Slayer’s abilities, and treasure stashes containing valuable resources for the in-game shop. Environmental puzzle-solving is generally straightforward, often requiring clever use of the Shield Saw, such as lobbing it to activate distant mechanisms or using shield bashes to manipulate blocks for platforming challenges. While these diversions are not the main focus, the rewards they offer make the effort well worthwhile.
A Legendary Lineage Evolving: The Verdict on Doom: The Dark Ages
Doom: The Dark Ages represents the pinnacle of modern Doom, an evolution that refines and enhances every facet of what makes the franchise so enduringly beloved. It’s a bloody, challenging, and intensely strategic thrill ride that pushes players to their limits, demands quick thinking, and consistently leaves them craving more. The introduction of the Shield Saw and the expanded melee combat systems are not mere additions; they are fundamental shifts that inject a thrilling new dimension into the already masterful run-and-gun formula.
id Software has once again demonstrated their unparalleled understanding of what makes a Doom game tick, providing players with mechanics they didn’t even know they wanted, proving that this legendary series is far from finished evolving. Doom: The Dark Ages is a masterclass in action game design, a testament to innovation, and an absolute must-play for fans of the genre and the franchise alike. It delivers on all fronts, offering a deep, engaging, and endlessly replayable experience that stands as one of the finest entries in the storied history of Doom.
Score: 9.5/10
Platform Reviewed: PlayStation 5 Platforms Available: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC Publisher: Bethesda Softworks Developer: id Software